Chapter 9
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Over the next month, things went from bad to worse for Karridge Group.
Major projects had to be put on hold because of cash flow problems, partners started pulling out one by one, and the stock price hit rock bottom.
Annie was fired by Hugo the very next day and left New York City in a hurry.
That day, I was sitting in a revolving restaurant on the top floor of Boston’s tallest skyscraper. Across from me was Julian Ramirez, who’d just come back from Cambridge and was also my childhood friend.
He was poking at his dessert with a fork and giving me a teasing look.
“Ms. Akre, I heard you used a lot of your family’s connections for a guy, and still ended up with nothing?”
I took a sip of red wine and replied with a shrug, “My grandpa made the engagement. I had to play along a little.”
Julian laughed, his eyes lighting up with that familiar warm glow.
“Since the engagement is off, what do you say we give it another shot?
S
“At least we’re a good match, and we already know each other better than anyone else does.”
I was about to respond when I spotted someone familiar at the restaurant entrance out of the corner of my eye.
Matteo.
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He was wearing the watch I gave him, and he looked pale–nothing like his usual confident, put–together self.
A waiter approached and said something to him.
He shook his head, eyes locked on mine, and started walking straight toward our table.
“Isabelle, can we talk for a minute?”
Julian raised his eyebrows and looked at me.
I said nothing.
Matteo’s eyelashes fluttered, and he suddenly bent down in a bow.
“Isabelle, I’m here to beg you to go back to the Karridge Group!
“Only you can save the company now!”
I remained silent.
Julian put down his fork and let out a soft laugh.
“Mr. Karridge, do you regret it now?
“Did you ever think about today when you let your assistant humiliate Isabelle in public?”
Matteo’s lips pressed tightly together.
“Isabelle, I know I messed up,” he said, eyes red as he looked up at me. “If you don’t come back, thousands of people could lose their jobs. Once the project for that land on the south side of the city gets put on hold, the contractors, the workers…”
“What does that have to do with me?” I cut in. “I’m not with the Karridge
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Group anymore.”
“And besides, you were the one who fired me.
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Julian suddenly stood up, his leather shoes clicking sharply on the marble floor.
He was taller than Matteo by half a head, and he gave off this intense, almost intimidating vibe.
“Matteo, do you even realize how much of the Akre family’s support Isabelle used to back you up?
“She even had an entire emergency team on standby near your company, just in case you needed help at a moment’s notice!”
He took a shaky step back, his voice shaking. “I… I didn’t know…”
“Now you do?” Julian said with a smirk. “A woman as outstanding as her -you treated her like she was nothing, but there will always be someone ready to treasure her like gold.”
With that, he reached for my hand.
“Come on, you’re going to try on wedding dresses today. Your father’s already waiting.”
Matteo’s head snapped up. “Wedding dresses?”
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